This application claims priority from R.O.C. Patent Application No. 090204102, filed Mar. 19, 2001, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to an auxiliary tool for assembling a scrubber; in particular, the invention relates to an auxiliary tool that can readily assemble the scrubber with ease and precision.
In semiconductor processing, a wafer surface is usually required to be cleaned. By means of brush cleaning, spray cleaning, and ultrasonic cleaning, undesired substance remaining on the wafer surface can be eliminated.
Cleaning equipment, such as a scrubber, is shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b. A wafer 1 is placed on wafer support pins 4 of a spin chuck 3 by a robot 2. Each wafer support pin 4 is provided with a stepped portion, as shown in FIG. 1a, to support the wafer 1. The distance between the wafer support pins 4 is large enough for the robot 2 to access. The spin chuck 3 is connected to a shaft 5. A shaft pin 6, as shown in FIG. 1b, is disposed at the shaft 5 and used to position the spin chuck 3 and the shaft 5.
Referring to FIG. 1b, the shaft 5 is disposed inside a motor 7 in a rotatable manner. The motor 7 rotates the spin chuck 3. The other end of the shaft 5 is connected with a disk 8 by means of a fixing or mounting part 10. The disk 8 is provided with a notch 9. A cylinder 11, disposed on unillustrated equipment, abuts the notch 9 to stop the disk 8.
FIG. 2a shows a relationship between the disk 8 and sensors disposed on the surrounding equipment. A sensor 13 is disposed at the edge of the disk 8. A sensor 12, corresponding to the sensor 13, is disposed at the surrounding equipment. The rotation number of the disk 8 is detected by the sensors 12, 13 to determine whether the cleaning process is finished. FIG. 2b is a top view of the spin chuck 3. The wafer 1, shown with a dotted line, is placed on the wafer support pins 4. FIG. 2b also shows a relationship between the robot 2 and the wafer support pins 4 when the robot 2 enters the spin chuck 3.
Part of the scrubber is described as above. Since the motor 7 rotates at high speed over a long period, it is relatively easily damaged and must be replaced. However, replacement of the motor is time-consuming. In addition, when the disk 8 is mounted to the shaft 5 during the replacement of the motor 7, the distance and the angle between the disk 8 and the shaft 5 is extremely limited.
If the distance between disk 8 and the shaft 5 is not precise, the disk 8 can interfere with the sensor 12 of the surrounding equipment, or the motor 7 cannot be assembled into the scrubber. If the angle between disk 8 and the shaft 5 is not precise, the position at which the robot 2 enters the spin chuck 3 may become inaccurate enough that the robot 2 may collide with the wafer support pins 4 of the spin chuck 3. As a result, it may require a significant amount of time to attach the disk 8 to the shaft 5 properly.
In view of the disadvantages of the aforementioned conventional assembly method, the invention provides an auxiliary tool that can readily assemble a scrubber with ease and precision.
An aspect of the present invention is directed to an auxiliary tool for assembling a scrubber which includes a motor, a shaft rotatably coupled to and extending through the motor, a shaft pin detachably connected to the shaft, and a disk coupled to the shaft and having a notch located relative to the shaft pin at a predetermined angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the shaft when properly assembled. The auxiliary tool comprises a tool body configured to at least partially receive the motor, the shaft pin, the disk, and the notch of the disk. The tool body includes a first recess configured to at least partially receive the shaft pin and a protrusion configured to be at least partially received into the notch of the disk. The first recess and the protrusion are arranged at the predetermined angle to position the notch of the disk and the shaft pin of the scrubber for proper assembly at the predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
In some embodiments, the tool body comprises a second recess configured to partially receive the motor. The tool body comprises a third recess configured to partially receive a portion of the shaft disposed on a side of the motor opposite from the disk. The first recess may be formed inside the third recess. The tool body comprises a fourth recess configured to partially receive a portion of the shaft disposed on a side of the motor where the disk is disposed. The protrusion is configured to match a shape of the notch and abut the disk. The first recess is configured to partially receive the shaft pin.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an auxiliary tool for assembling a scrubber which includes a motor, a shaft rotatably coupled to and extending through the motor, a shaft pin detachably connected to the shaft, and a disk coupled to the shaft and having a notch located relative to the shaft pin at a predetermined angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the shaft when properly assembled. The auxiliary tool comprises a tool body configured to partially receive the scrubber. The tool body includes a first recess configured to receive the shaft pin. A protrusion is integrally formed on the tool body and is configured to match a shape of the notch and abut the disk. The first recess and the protrusion are arranged at the predetermined angle to position the notch of the disk and the shaft pin of the scrubber for proper assembly at the predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of assembling a scrubber which includes a motor, a shaft rotatably coupled to and extending through the motor, a shaft pin detachably connected to the shaft, and a disk coupled to the shaft and having a notch located relative to the shaft pin at a predetermined angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the shaft when properly assembled. The method comprises providing a tool body configured to partially receive the scrubber, wherein the tool body includes a first recess and a protrusion. The tool body is placed adjacent the scrubber to at least partially receive the shaft pin into the first recess of the tool body and to at least partially insert the protrusion of the tool body into the notch of the disk. The first recess and the protrusion are arranged at the predetermined angle to position the notch of the disk and the shaft pin of the scrubber for proper assembly at the predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
In some embodiments, the tool body comprises a second recess, and the tool body is placed adjacent the scrubber to partially receive the motor into the second recess of the tool body. The tool body comprises a third recess, and the tool body is placed adjacent the scrubber to partially receive into the third recess a portion of the shaft disposed on a side of the motor opposite from the disk. The tool body comprises a fourth recess, and the tool body is placed adjacent the scrubber to partially receive into the fourth recess a portion of the shaft disposed on a side of the motor where the disk is disposed. The protrusion of the tool body is configured to match a shape of the notch, and the tool body is placed adjacent the scrubber to abut the disk with the protrusion of the tool body. The tool body is placed adjacent the scrubber to partially receive the shaft pin into the first recess of the tool body.